2002 CHEVROLET CORVETTE brakes

4-27
CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get
so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going down
a hill. You could crash. Always have your engine
running and your vehicle in gear when you
go downhill.

Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift
down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool
your engine and transmission, and you can climb
the hill better.

Stay in your own lane when driving on two
-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or
cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds
that let you stay in your own lane.

As you go over the top of a hill, be alert.
There could be something in your lane,
like a stalled car or an accident.

You may see highway signs on mountains that
warn of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no
-passing zones, a falling rocks area
or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.

4-30
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle's stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti
-lock braking system, you'll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See ªAnti
-Lockº in the Index.

Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.

Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
fine until you hit a spot that's covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in shaded areas where the sun can't reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads are
clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you're actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
If You're Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe:

Turn on your hazard flashers.

5-4
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved
in the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brakes.
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlet. Turn off the
radio and all lamps that aren't needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (
-) terminal locations on
each vehicle. See ªEngine Compartment Overviewº
in the Index for more information on location.
CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.

6-
6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-9 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-12 Engine Oil
6
-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-20 Manual Transmission Fluid
6
-21 Hydraulic Clutch
6
-22 Rear Axle
6
-23 Engine Coolant
6
-26 Surge Tank Pressure Cap
6
-27 Power Steering Fluid
6
-28 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-29 Brakes
6
-32 Battery
6
-33 Bulb Replacement
6
-38 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement6
-40 Tires
6
-53 Lifting Your Corvette
6
-57 Appearance Care
6
-57 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-60 Cleaning a Removable Roof Panel
6
-61 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-63 Cleaning Your Convertible Top
6
-63 Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
6
-64 Cleaning Tires
6
-64 Finish Damage
6
-64 Underbody Maintenance
6
-66 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-67 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-67 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-68 Electrical System
6
-75 Replacement Bulbs
6
-75 Capacities and Specifications
6
-76 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-29
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is on the driver's
side of the engine compartment. It is filled with DOT
-3
brake fluid. See ªEngine Compartment Overviewº in
the Index.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear.When new linings are put in, the fluid level goes back up.
The other reason is that fluid is leaking out of the brake
system. If it is, you should have your brake system fixed,
since a leak means that sooner or later your brakes won't
work well, or won't work at all.
So, it isn't a good idea to ªtop offº your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won't correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you'll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is hot
enough. You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
See ªChecking Brake Fluidºin this section.

6-30
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check your brake fluid. See ªPeriodic Maintenance
Inspectionsº in the Index.
Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake fluid without taking off the
cap. Just look at the brake fluid reservoir. The fluid level
should be above the MIN mark on the reservoir. If it isn't,
have your brake system checked to see if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system, make
sure the level is between the MIN and MAX marks.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT
-3 brake
fluid. Use new brake fluid from a sealed container only.
See ªRecommended Fluids and Lubricantsº in the Index.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
NOTICE:

Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just a few
drops of mineral
-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts so badly that they'll have to
be replaced. Don't let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.

If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake
fluid on your vehicle. If you do, wash it
off immediately. See ªAppearance Careº
in the Index.

6-31 Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built
-in wear indicators that make
a high
-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won't work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See ªBrake System Inspectionº in Section 7 of this
manual under Part C ªPeriodic Maintenance Inspections.º
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.

6-32 Brake Adjustment
As you make brake stops, your disc brakes
automatically adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work
well together if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. Your vehicle was designed and tested with
top
-quality GM brake parts. When you replace parts
of your braking system
-- for example, when your brake
linings wear down and you need new ones put in
-- be
sure you get new approved GM replacement parts.
If you don't, your brakes may no longer work properly.
For example, if someone puts in brake linings that are
wrong for your vehicle, the balance between your
front and rear brakes can change
-- for the worse.
The braking performance you've come to expect can
change in many other ways if someone puts in the
wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco
battery. When it's time for a new battery,
get one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery's label. We recommend an ACDelco
battery. For battery replacement, see your dealer or
the service manual. To purchase a service manual,
see ªService and Owner Publicationsº in the Index.
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds, chemicals
known to the State of California to cause cancer and
reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.